Romance Oublieé
by CelianAdellanie
Summary: A forgotten romance is found again in "Romance Oublieé", a story inspired by the work of composer Franz Liszt. Miki and Juri, friends that are more then friends as ever, sense change in their lives coming when Miki begins a new class on accompaniment by piano. Miki needs a violist to play the main part of his final exam, but who will it be? Juri, Miki, and music.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: "Romance Oublie_ é _" is a famous piece by Franz Liszt composed specifically for viola and piano. A viola is an instrument in the string family played on the shoulder like a violin, but lower in range. It is the alto voice of the strings, if you will. Please do look up this wonderful piece! As both a pianist and a violist, it is one of my favorites._

 **Romance Oublieé - Part 1**

It was a Saturday after practice as usual. Miki played the piano as Juri continued to stretch and plan new exercises for the fencing team. It was also Miki and Juri as usual, Miki glancing at Juri, then quickly looking away, blushing, and Juri finding herself staring at Miki when he got lost in the music. The only song he didn't play anymore was "The Sunlit Garden", but then, neither of them missed it. It remained a slight chord in their memories, sweet and sad, but a memory nevertheless. What Miki did play were various selections of Scarlatti's sonatas, in order, of course. His vigor and happiness held the same intensity of the mournful pieces he used to play every day, but were such a contrast in their bright love of life. It made Juri proud.

What was unusual is when Miki began to play an odd piece, one that echoed his earlier sentiments, with forlorn melancholy. Juri stopped stretching to listen. It was strange, as it sounded like Miki was playing more harmony than melody. As the piece reached climax, Juri stood up and went to the piano, playing a hand on Miki's shoulder. He hit a wrong note and froze, the vibrations disappearing quickly.

"What's wrong, Mickey?" Juri asked softly, looking into his eyes. "You haven't played like that in a while. And a song so strange…"

"It's alright!" Miki said quickly. He looked down at his sheet music, then offered it to Juri. "See? It's an assignment for my new music class. We're learning accompaniment, and this is the first piece I chose. 'Romance Oublieé' by Franz Liszt. I like it. It reminds me of a time past, although I'm not entirely sure why."

"Oh." Juri accepted the music. "For viola and piano. It's French? 'Forgotten Romance'."

"Well, Liszt was Hungarian," Miki replied factually. "But he lived in France." He played a chord musingly.

"It's beautiful. Who's playing the viola part?" Juri said. "Your teacher?"

"No. We have to find a musician willing to play the part for our final performance exam." Miki returned the music to the piano and began playing quietly. "I haven't found anyone yet. I'm a bit worried, because it's so hard to find a violist. But I wouldn't want a violinist to transpose the piece. It wouldn't retain the integrity of Liszt's intentions." Juri chuckled lowly at Miki's earnestness.

"I'm finished, now," Miki announced. "Ready for lunch?" Juri nodded, gathering her bag and notebook as Miki did his everyday polishing of the piano. "To honor the instrument," he always said. In an odd way, Juri was sort of jealous. Playing music with another is a very close bond. Whoever stepped up as Miki's partner would be lucky.

That night, Juri paced around her dorm. She tried in vain to think about Student Council matters, fencing team problems, family goings-on. But the piano part of Romance Oublieé played on loop in her mind. Finally, she stopped in her tracks. This was ridiculous. Why was she so obsessed over the fact that Miki would be accompanying someone else? She wasn't a violist, nor a true musician since middle school when she left the violin for fencing. Juri loved fencing. The singing of the rapier, the delicate aggression. Now, though, she missed music. Did she still have her violin tucked away somewhere? Probably.

Her mother had always wanted her to pursue music as well. For a girl, no, a woman of Juri's station, well-roundedness was required, not just encouraged. Music, academia, sports, all were imposed on Juri. It was a testament to Juri's willfulness that she decided to pursue fencing above all, eschewing music and anything above perfect in school because those factors were not of her own desire.

Those pursuits had never been her own. Juri could make them her own, though. How hard would it be to switch from violin to viola, anyways? Rifling through her drawers, peering into the mess that was her closet, Juri searched. And searched. Until she found, under piles and piles of old fencing gear and awards, a violin case.

Unclipping the sides, she opened the case to find the violin nestled inside. The musty sweet scent of rosin rose up. Juri plucked the A string, and winced at how out of tune the instrument was. That would have to be fixed. She took out her tuning fork and tuned the A just as her teacher had taught her forever ago, then D, then G, then E. The tuning pegs were loathe to move, but Juri patiently tuned the instrument.

After rosining the bow, she set it on the A string and pulled. The same clear tone rung out, mimicking the A Miki played every time before starting practice to check tuning. Then she played a scale. Her bow was too slow, her fingers unaccustomed to the speed. The violin felt too delicate in her hands. Juri took a deep breath and tried to play the scale again. Now she was the one out of tune, missing notes, forgetting how to switch strings quickly enough. Frustrated, she set the violin to the side on her desk. This was why she had quit violin. It never responded to her, never loved her like other instruments loved their owners. Instead, it laughed a her lack of skill.

Promising herself to put the whole silly idea out of her head, Juri got ready for bed, brushing out her perfect curls, donning her silk nightgown. She watched herself in the mirror, remembering something she had said of Miki once. That he looked better at the piano than with a sword in his hands. Was Juri meant for all the aggression he lacked? Or did she, too, have that other, gentle side?

"Don't be stupid," Juri told herself. "You're not a musician. You're a fencer. You chose already, and that is that." Satisfied, Juri went to bed. However, she dreamed of "Romance Oublieé", of Miki's hands caressing the keys and her bow livening viola strings.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: And even more of my musical nerdiness is revealed._

 **Romance Oublie** **é - Part 2**

The next day, Juri and Miki went to the city to attend a banquet for advanced honors students. Afterwards, they walked the streets of , enjoying the dusky evening sunset. "I do like being outside of the school," Juri commented, stretching her arms up to the sky. "It's much more open here." She smiled at Miki, who nodded shyly. His eyes wandered, then, and brightened.

"Look, Juri! A music shop!" He pointed at a small, quaint store with percussion in the window. "Maybe they have piano string. There's a high F on my piano in the dorms that needs replacement."

"You know how to take care of your piano to that extent?" Juri commented, impressed. "I didn't know. Most just hire a tuner to replace strings, right?"

"Yes, but I prefer to do it myself," Miki replied. "Can we go in?"

"Of course." Juri held open the door for Miki. He rushed to the back of the store in excitement, and Juri followed leisurely. Racks of instruments lined the wall, cases stacked every which way. In the middle of the store, a string quartet of instruments was displayed on wooden stands. Wandering to the instruments, Juri plucked one of the violin's strings lightly. She winced at the high tone that sang back at her. She looked to the cello, then looked at the viola. It was rather large, perhaps three or four inches larger than the violins.

"I wonder…" Juri picked up the viola, awkwardly setting the large instrument on her shoulder. If it was played in the same manner as the violin, it couldn't be that much more difficult, right? Taking a deep breath, she set the bow on what she thought was the A string. Juri gritted her teeth, expecting the same shrillness, but she wasn't expecting what came. The A rung sonorously through the room, humming with her heartbeat. She frowned and shifted to the lowest string. A C rang through her, deep and rich. so a viola wasn't cello, or a violin, or a mix of the two. It was more than that.

On the D string, Juri began to play a small melody she still remembered from those days on the violin. She was still awkward, but the warm tone of the viola helped. It was forgiving and generous, unlike her old violin. Reaching the climax of the song, Juri stopped the second she noticed Miki watching her, piano wire in his hands. He quickly started clapping.

"That was rather good!" He smiled, blue eyes sparkling. "I didn't know that you could play the viola, Juri!"

"I can't," Juri said quickly, setting the viola down. "I took violin awhile when I was younger, but that's all." She tried to quash her dread that she was blushing. How embarrassing for Miki to have seen her foolish sentimentality. No, no, she shouldn't feel like that anymore. They were close friends, right? There was no need to try to save face. So why did Juri feel red and hot?

"Then surely you can switch to viola!" Miki picked up the instrument eagerly, playing a half scale. "It has such a lovely timbre." He handed it to Juri. "Did you ever think about getting back into music again?"

"Not really." Juri bit her lip. "I loved fencing too much to give music any dedication."

"That's too bad," Miki frowned. "I really do like your tone on the viola."

"Truly?" Juri gazed down at the instrument in her hands.

"Mm-hmm." He nodded. "The viola suits you quite well. Can you play that song once more?" Juri carefully set the viola on her shoulder and played the first few measures. "Ahh, Handel's Bourreé. I thought so. Keep playing, please." Miki's hand kept the rhythm gracefully as Juri finished the song. "Lovely."

"Not really," Juri said, setting the instrument down. "I'm a fencer. Still sounds too clumsy, even on a larger instrument."

"I fence, too," Miki shrugged, picking up the piano wire. "And I play an even bigger instrument." Juri laughed at that. Miki was still very earnest. That was one thing she loved about him. "Let's buy the viola, Juri. Who knows? You might get into music again." He set the instrument and bow in its case. "Was I wrong in hearing your affection in your playing?" He met Juri's eyes.

"No. You weren't wrong. I'm just not certain that musical instruments like me." It felt ridiculous to admit that, but Miki's expression made Juri feel better. Honesty. She owed the same honesty to him that he gave her. It was strangely difficult, but it felt right.

"Then it's settled!" Miki grinned. "I'm a musician, and I know things about music. And that viola loves you too." Juri hid a smile as Miki took the viola and piano string up to the register. She followed in a daze. Miki had changed since she had first met him. Now he was more assertive, more in tune with other's emotion. It made her feel proud as he chatted excitedly with the shop owner, going on about his piano, what he was playing, and most of all, the discovery that Juri knew how to play string instruments. At last they left the shop, Juri toting an instrument case, a book of elementary viola pieces, and several different sample rosins.

"I'm so happy for you!" Miki said as they walked arm in arm back to Ohtori Academy. "To be discovering music all over again… I never remember what it was like for me because I was so very young when first learning piano. All those years make it seem like I've been playing piano forever. Do you think I should become a music professor?"

"Definitely," Juri replied. "What else is there that you care for more?"

"Well, I care for my family. And my friends. And you, Juri." Time stood still as Juri attempted to grasp what his words meant. Exactly how much affection was that? "Oh, and academics!" The tension broke with that final announcement. Juri felt hugely relieved. How would she respond if Miki ever told her he loved her?


End file.
